Sunday, October 28, 2018

PKS For Coal Powerplant in Europe


Europe with its bio-economic program in the RED (Renewable Energy Directive) has targeted the use of renewable energy to reach a minimum of 20% by 2020 with biomass consumption reaching 70% of all renewable energy and by 2030 to be at least 27%. For biomass energy, Europe is also the largest producer of wood pellets, which is currently estimated at 13.5 million tons / year while its consumption is 18.8 million tons / year. The biggest wood pellet producing countries in Europe are Germany and Sweden. Even though the production of wood pellets of 13.5 million tons / year has not been able to meet the internal needs of the region, so it still needs supply from outside. America and Canada are the main suppliers of wood pellet needs for the country. Most of the use of wood pellets for electricity generation. In addition to wood pellets, PKS has also been imported from Indonesia. Along the size of the target to be achieved, the need for biomass fuel is predicted to increase.

Although most power plants currently use pulverized coal boiler technology which reaches around 50% of the world's electricity generation, the use of grate combustor boiler technology and fluidized bed boilers is also increasing. Pulverized coal boiler is mainly used for very large capacity plants (> 100 MW), while for ordinary medium capacity uses fluidized bed technology (between 20-100 MW) and for smaller capacity with combustor grate (<20 MW). The advantage of boiler boiler combustion and fluidized bed technology is fuel flexibility including tolerance to particle size. Various agricultural waste, municipal waste, used tires and so on can be used as fuel. When the pulverized coal boiler requires a small particle size (1-2 cm) like sawdust so that it can be atomized on the pulverizer nozzle, the combustor grate and fluidized bed the particle size of gravel (max. 8 cm) can be accepted. Based on these conditions agricultural waste, namely PKS has a great opportunity as fuel for these boilers.
49 MW Biomass Powerplant with Fluidized Bed Technology
in Japan that use PKS as fuel, has been operating since 2015 
To be able to fuel the boiler combustor grate and fluidized bed boiler PKS can be used directly, without additional pretreatment. More specifically for fluidized bed boilers, circulating fluized beds (CFB) boilers are more suitable for PKS compared to boiler fluidized bed (BFB) boilers, for more details read here. Then is PKS not suitable for pulverized coal boiler? There are several things that need to be considered for the use of PKS in pulverized coal boilers. The first thing that can be done is to reduce PKS particle size to a maximum of 2 cm so that it can be atomized in a pulverized system. The second thing to note is the percentage of PKS in coal, or the term cofiring. Unlike a grate and a fluidized bed combustor that can be flexible with various types of fuel, pulverized almost all use coal only. Of course it can also be pulverized to be replaced with biomass, especially PKS, but there are specific things that distinguish biomass and coal fuels, namely ash content and ash chemistry. Both of these things greatly influence the combustion characteristics in the pulverized system.

Coal ash content is generally greater than biomass, besides that coal ash chemistry is very different from biomass ash chemistry. Biomass ash has lower an inorganic than coal, but the alkali content in biomass can change the properties of coal ash, especially aluminosilicate ash. Practically, if you want to change the pulverized system from coal to biomass, especially PKS, it is necessary to modify the power plant and this is also not cheap, but if you want without modification or just a small modification of the power plant is needed, namely the cofiring method. Biomass cofiring with coal in small portions for example 3-5% does not need to modify the pulverized power plant. For example, Shinci in Japan with a capacity of 2 x 1,000 MW of supercritical pulverized fuel with 3% cofiring requires 16,000 tons / year of biomass and no modification, likewise with Korea Shoutheast Power (KOSEP) 5,000 MW with 5% cofiring requiring 600,000 tons / year of biomass and also without modification. Why is the cofiring in the pulverized system discussed a lot? In addition to this type of generator, the most number with a very large electricity production capacity so as to be an effective means of reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere which also automatically reduces coal use, also the use of biomass in cofiring has an effect on plant operations and the price of electricity produced. The other main reason is because is the cheapest way to enter renewable sector especially for big coal powerplants.
Denmark 700 MW Studstrup power station conducts cofiring up to 20% with straw
Combustor grate technology, fluidized bed and pulverized are basically combustion technologies. Combustion technology is one of the 3 thermal biomass processes that are widely applied, with the other two are gasification and pyrolysis. Gasification as well as pyrolysis can also be used for electricity production, but its use is not as much as combustion technology and its electricity production capacity is generally also small. Almost the same as a combustor grate and fluidized bed, fuel for gasification and pyrolysis is also flexible, including coal and PKS. In gasification technology mainly to maximize gas products (syngas) while in pyrolysis to maximize its solid products. PKS can be pyrolyzed to produce charcoal while coal will produce coke if it is pyrolyzed. Charcoal from PKS can be used for fuel, briquette production and activated charcoal while coke for steel smelting. Syngas is a pyrolysis by-product that can be used for electricity production while in gasification, syngas is the main product that can also be used for electricity production.
Why use PKS for the powerplant fuel? This is because PKS has almost the same characteristics as wood pellets, many are available and are cheap. Indonesia and Malaysia are the two main producers of PKS. PKS is produced from palm oil processing and considered as waste. With an area of ​​Indonesian oil palm plantations reaching 12 million hectares in Indonesia and 5 million hectares in Malaysia, the number of PKS produced from both countries reached 15 million tons / year. The number of PKS in both countries exceeds the production of wood pellets from the United States and Canada, or the two largest producers of wood pellets today. And of course the United States and Canada cannot produce PKS, because they do not have oil palm plantations, but Indonesia and Malaysia can also produce wood pellets because they have large forests. The production of wood pellets in Indonesia and Malaysia is still small today, which is less than 1 million tons / year, but the production of PKS is quite large which can act as an initial driver of bioeconomy in the countries and supply the PKS biomass to Europe.

OPT Charcoal Pellet Production for Waste of Oil Palm Trunk Solution

Oil palm trunk waste as well as biomass in general can be used for sources of energy, materials and chemicals. So much oil palm waste is because currently most of the oil palm plantations in Indonesia are old and enter a period of massive replanting. In addition, replanting is also a periodic program conducted by oil palm plantations to continue to maintain the sustainability of its production, so that palm oil waste is always available. Indonesia and Malaysia with a total oil palm plantation area of ​​around 17 million hectares of course have a lot of palm oil waste. If 1 hectare is planted with 130 palm trees, the palm tree population in both countries has reached 2.21 billion palm trees. The current era of bioeconomy encourages massive and sustainable use of biomass, so that initially considered waste is now a potential raw material. Charcoal production from palm oil waste also does not damage the environment because it is a tree that must be replaced with new plants.

The use of palm oil trunks for energy sources is one of them by making pellets (OPT pellets) which currently also have producers. Another option is to be made into charcoal pellets (OPT Charcoal Pellet). Before being pelleted first, the oil palm trunk is carbonised through the process of pyrolysis or carbonization. The charcoal produced is then compacted into pellets (OPT Charcoal Pellet) with a little added adhesive. There are many advantages that can be obtained by the pyrolysis process, especially continuous pyrolysis. In addition to the main products in the form of charcoal, biooil by-products, biomass vinegar (liquid smoke) and syngas are also of high economic value. Biooil can be used directly as liquid fuel for example for burners or ship fuels. Biooil can also be upgraded for a variety of general vehicle fuels such as gasoline or diesel oil. Biooil as well as crude oil can also be upgraded for the production of various chemicals (bio-based chemical).
Biomass vinegar (liquid smoke) can be used as a biopesticide or liquid organic fertilizer. Fertilization will restore nutrients or organic matter to the tree or plantation. This is important to be done to maintain the sustainability of the oil palm plantation itself, which is currently one of the main concerns. Syngas can be used as direct fuel such as biooil, or used for electricity generation using a gas engine. While the main product, charcoal after being pelleted, can be used as fuel or agricultural charcoal (biochar). The charcoal market is usually for the food industry, namely for heat sources, in contrast to wood pellets which are widely used in power plants.

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Production of Wood Pellets or Charcoal Pellets?

Wood pellets have become a hot talk and tempting business opportunities today. Not a few large companies are planning to produce wood pellets in Indonesia, especially with raw materials from energy plantations. Of course there are still many who remember also some time ago Indonesia was highlighted by the world for its function as the world's lungs with its tropical forests as CO2 absorbers and compensation for carbon trading. Furthermore, will in the current era Indonesia will become the world's main supplier of biomass fuel which is carbon neutral fuel? It is not surprising that Indonesia is a destination country for investment in biomass production, this is because of its tropical climate, available vast land and fertile soil. Almost all regions in Indonesia can be planted for various types of plants and this condition is different from subtropical countries and dry regions such as deserts. Of course, it is important that the business activities of the biomass production and its derivatives provide fair benefits to the Indonesian citizens and government. Do not let the people only become objects even in their own country, like dead chickens in a rice barn. If that happens, then it's really outrageous. The Muslims can capture and take advantage of these opportunities in a way that is syirkah (sharia business cooperation), more detail can be read here.

History has also taught that natural wealth but not managed properly, only invites invaders. Remember, Indonesia was colonized, especially in the military, political, educational and economic terms of 350 years, because initially spices and certainly new style of colonialism (neo-colonialism) also could not happen again for the present and the future. Why are wood pellets so popular? The first reason is the high demand for wood pellets which is driven by a number of pro-environment policies, which in Asia, especially Korea and Japan. The second reason is that electricity generation is one of the biggest sources of pollution with very large CO2 emissions, so it needs to be reduced and even needs to be replaced with carbon neutral biomass power plants. The third reason, the production of wood pellets is cheaper than fuels such as bioethanol. A number of analyzes suggest that bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is newly produced when oil prices are above $ 100 / barrel while the current oil price is around $ 80 / barrel.

The main users of wood pellets are large power plants, so that production volume and continuity are needed. A number of strict rules have been applied to the production of wood pellets as examples of quality standards, and the continuity of raw material supply as evidenced by certain certifications such as FSC. The traded wood pellet products must meet these standards or criteria. Long contracts are also commonly used for buying and selling wood pellets. Looking at a number of things above, it can be understood if players or producers of wood pellets must have large capital. Wood pellet production is currently estimated at 20 million tons with the United States and Canada as its main producers, while Europe is the main user, followed by Japan and Korea in the Asian region.

Charcoal is an energy product from biomass processing, especially wood. Wood charcoal has been known for a long time and is produced in a number of places. The process of producing wood charcoal is generally traditional, takes a long time and the quality is not uniform. According to FAO, global wood charcoal production in 2015 was recorded at more than 50 million tons and about half of it was produced in Africa. Every year Europe imports 1 million tons of charcoal, as well as Saudi Arabia and Middle Eastern countries import more than 1 million tons of charcoal. The use of charcoal is mostly the household sector with retail (retail) distribution. In addition charcoal is also used for metallurgy, agriculture (biochar) and activated charcoal (activated carbon) raw materials.

Charcoal production and charcoal marketing have also not been treated by strict rules such as wood pellets. This is mainly due to the large number of charcoal producers, with a small average production and traditional production technology. In addition, the market or buyer also does not require large volumes and long-term contracts. The quality factor remains an important standard, especially for the export market. But it could be that more stringent rules will also apply to production and marketing, given the potential damage caused. The low conversion of traditional charcoal kiln, which is an average of 15%, makes the need extra for wood raw materials, so that to produce 1 million tons of raw materials is needed about 6.5 million tons of wood. The approach to using efficient technology is increasingly urgent especially to serve large and continuous needs. Pyrolysis or continuous carbonization is the solution to this, with a conversion rate to charcoal reaching 30% or almost one third. With this efficient technology, only 3 million tons of wood is needed, or only half that means saving about 3 million tons of wood raw material.

To improve efficiency and ease of transportation and handling and its use, so charcoal can be made into pellets. The heat value of charcoal which is higher than wood, which is about 2 times, also makes charcoal pellets have higher calories than wood pellets. Unlike the production of wood pellets which do not require additional adhesive, because lignin in the wood itself also functions as an adhesive when pressed (compressed) and high temperature, for charcoal pellets require additional adhesive in the form of tapioca flour, this is because lignin has decomposed when carbonization process (pyrolysis). Another advantage of the pyrolysis process is that a number of byproducts provide additional benefits, namely: biooil as a burner / boiler fuel, a ship fuel mixture and can be upgraded to vehicle fuel in general, then syngas which can be used for gas engine fuels for electricity production and wood vinegar which can be further processed into biopesticides and liquid organic fertilizers. For a production capacity of 200 tons / day of INPUT or approximately 70 tons of charcoal / day (OUTPUT), the electricity output produced can reach 5 MW with raw wood chips or sawdust.
The continuity of raw materials for charcoal production is also the same as the production of wood pellets, namely from the energy plantation so that it can continue continuously (sustainable). Optimizing energy plantations with sheep farming plus cattle and honey bee farming is the best option for optimizing land use. In conclusion there are two attractive options in the current biomass fuel business, namely the production of wood pellets with strict requirements ranging from raw material sources and wood pellet product quality, but can get a long-term wood pellet purchase contract that is up to 20 years or the production of charcoal pellets, which the conditions are not as strict as wood pellets, then in the carbonization or pyrolysis stage a number of by-products are also produced which are also profitable, even for electricity it is also very possible for long-term contracts to sell it to PLN with a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) mechanism for 25 years but for products the product cannot be a long contract. Based on the aforementioned matters, an in-depth study is needed before executing one or even both of these opportunities.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Finding The Best Treasure From Energy Plantation Implementation Part 6

"It is He Who has brought down the rain from the sky for you, some of it has become a drink and some of it has grown up, the plants which are in your place of grazing your cattle. "(Qur'an 16:10)

"Eat and graze your animals. Verily in this, there are signs of the power of Allah for those who understand. "(Qur'an, 20:54)

"Muslims are syirkah (sharia business cooperation) to three things, in terms of pasture (land), water and fire (energy)". (HR. Sunan Abu Daud).

When Muslims practice the instructions above, the problem of food, energy and water will be overcome. Why is the problem of food, energy and water so chaotic now? It can even threaten a country's sovereignty. The answer is because muslims don't practice the instructions above. In the current era when the world is competing to lower the earth's temperature, the energy sector can be a strategic entry point. Energy from trees or wood which is also in line with the current Qur'anic guidance has become a world program because it is a carbon neutral fuel that does not increase CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Europe, for example with the proclaimed bioeconomy program, energy from biomass reaches 70%. Japan and Korea with renewable energy programs also need tens of millions of tons of biomass fuel. The United States through its Energy Department has announced the production of dry biomass of at least 1 billion tons in 2040 without damaging the environment. Canada with its climate plan has also targeted to eliminate or free coal and gas power plants in 2030. When Muslims practice these instructions, they will get a reward for their faith in Allah SWT and His Messenger, not just benefits worldly like environmental benefits and economic benefits.
Wood pellets are biomass processing products that are very popular today. Multipurpose energy plantations can be used for the production of woody biomass as raw material for the production of wood pellets. The export wood pellet market is mainly Japan and Korea, but both have their own characteristics. Designing a multipurpose energy plantation for production also requires its own techniques, for more details can be read here. With Syirkah (sharia business cooperation) it is very likely that this potential can be realized. Then what if the Muslims do not want to be syirkah (sharia business cooperation)? First, obviously it will be very difficult to capture these opportunities. Second, the problem of food, energy and water will be controlled by non-Muslims, and Muslims will only be spectators and consumers, similar to today's conditions. Third, when the important matters of food, water and energy are not in the hands of the Muslims, the people are not self-sufficient and easily broken down and so on. Migration from fossil economics to bioeconomy is the right momentum for the economic awakening of the muslims people. The domestic wood pellet market also needs to be created and developed continuously. It is not impossible when the production of biomass fuels, especially wood pellets is massive, the role of renewable energy from biomass becomes dominant. Especially at this time Indonesia has also become the nett importer of petroleum. Petroleum produced domestically is not enough to meet the consumption of its population.
Sheep farming and honey bees integrated with energy plantations will provide optimal added value. The undeveloped and organized sheep producers in Indonesia makes the contribution in the economic sector still minimal. For example, in a country with a majority of non-Muslims such as the United States, there is a sheep association namely the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), which has about 83,000 sheep producers. In addition to a number of pastures both in the area of ??fruit trees or food crops, such as coconut plantations, mango plantations, guava and so on are ideal locations for sheep farming, the grasslands are in forest areas whose main products are wood such as mahogany, sengon and so on are also very good. In reference to Alberta, Canada's local Ministry of Environmental Protection has used tens of thousands of sheep to control hairy grasses that block the growth of weed grass in the area. Sheep include livestock that are resistant to a number of plants that are considered toxic, like furry plants which are a kind of weed and poisonous to cattle. So because of its ability in Texas and Southwest sheep is also used to control a number of species of weeds that attack grass habitat.
Maintaining a minimum of 3 inch (7.5 cm) grass is an important factor in pasture
Grazing techniques in Indonesia may have its own characteristics, this is because Indonesia has a tropical climate, while most big sheep producers are currently in subtropical climates. But it is precisely in this tropical region that sheep farming should have an ideal place for grazing, because it refers to the above Qur'anic instructions (Qur'an 16:10). Rotation grazing is the best way to get the best quality and quantity of meat. Milk, wool and leather are also other products produced from sheep farms which are also very much needed by Indonesia at this time. The speed of grass to recover in the rainy season is much faster than the dry season. But because excessive rain can cause the sheep to get sick and die, the pasture duration during the rainy season can be accelerated, but with shorter rotations and more sheep in the cage. Whereas in the dry season the way of grazing is the opposite. A good irrigation will keep the green-green grass in the dry season. In the current era to get water for irrigation a number of ways can be taken. In addition to flowing water from mountain water sources or blocking the flow of rivers, other methods such as making wells and water are raised and used on these plantations and farms. A number of technologies can be used to generate electricity for pump energy that raises water from the well, for example solar energy with solar PV, wind energy, biomass energy with gasification, stirling engine and ORC (organic rankine cycle).
Sheep grazing with cattle has also been shown to give positive results. This is because the two types of livestock have different grazing habits, for example sheep like broadleaf grass, while cows like narrow leafy grass. Sheep and cattle grazing can be done simultaneously or at different times. Pastures is also better, because all grasses are eaten by sheep and cattle, evenly. If the grassland is not grazed evenly, the quality of the grass will also decrease. Certain types of grass become favorites for sheep so that this type will be eaten more, even run out. Grass with such conditions becomes difficult to grow well again. Pastoral care as well as agricultural fields must be maintained to continue to produce these livestock feeds. Another important indication that this joint grazing gives more positive results, it's from a number of studies carried out in various locations in the world that with sheep grazing with cattle (mixed grazing), sheep weight gain is around 10% than just sheep grazing and an increase in cow weight around 25% compared only cow grazing.
Honey bee farming is another additional effort to improve the optimization of land use and help pollinate a variety of plants. There are many types of honey bees, the consideration of choosing the type of honey bee is also based on the cultivation technique and the honey production. Local honey bees are generally more easily cultivated such as the genus Trigona (stingless bee). Wood pellets, sheep, (plus cows) and honey are products that integrate energy plantations with farms of sheep and honey bees. This is the current opportunity, especially for Muslims to boost and accelerate their economic growth by means of the syirkah like the Prophet's hadith above. When the bioeconomy in Europe is targeted to drive the economic sector by € 2 trillion (34,000 trillion or 17 times the Indonesian state budget) and the absorption of 20 million workers, then Indonesia with biggest country in South Ast Asia, the bioeconomy in the tropics are based on integration these energy plantations and farms should also be very large. The Netherlands, which has an area about the size of East Java, targets 2.6-3 billion Euros (around 50 trillion rupiah) from its bioeconomy sector. Of course more important than all of this is our faith and devotion to Allah SWT so that the blessings from heaven and earth will be bestowed:

"If the inhabitants of these countries have faith and piety, surely We will bestow upon them blessings from heaven and earth, but they deny (Our verses), We will punish them for their actions." (Surat al-A ' raf: 96)

Friday, October 12, 2018

Biomass Efficiency Improvement for Energy Sufficiency Part 2

Indonesia is famous for the country of coconut island seduction. This is because the extent of coconut plantations in Indonesia reaches around 3.7 million hectares with most of them being smallholder plantations. The extent of the coconut plantations places Indonesia as the largest coconut plantation owner in the world, and the Philippines ranks second. Coconut trees mainly grow along the coast, and indeed Indonesia also has the longest coastline in the world. Although the number of Indonesian coconut plantations is the number 1 in the world, its productivity is still lower to the Philippines, so the Philippines is also the no. 1 coconut producer in the world. The coconut industry in the Philippines is also more advanced than Indonesia. Indonesia here is more prioritizing palm oil than coconut. The area of ??Indonesian palm oil plantations is currently around 12 million hectares or more than 3 times the size of its coconut plantations.

Coconut trees are also called the tree of life because all parts can be used for human life. But at present the sad fate of it because of the lack of attention to the development of plantations and industries. The main product of coconut is the oil which has high lauric acid content. Lauric acid is only found in three places, namely coconut oil, palm kernel oil and breast milk. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) which has many benefits for human health. Lauric acid helps cure various diseases such as diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension and so on. VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) is a form of coconut oil that can be directly consumed by humans. VCO is different from coconut cooking oil because the VCO is made without heating so that it produces medium chain saturated fatty acids or high MCFA, vitamin E, antioxidants and enzymes in the coconut fruit. Lauric acid in VCO is easily absorbed to the mitochondria so it will increase the body's metabolism. Besides that it can stimulate insulin production which causes glucose metabolism to run normally, which is especially useful for diabetics. The more common benefit of consuming pure coconut oil or VCO can also activate antiaging hormones and pregnenolone, progesterone, and DHEA, and prevent heart attacks, senility, obesity, cancer, and other diseases associated with premature aging.

Saturated fatty acids, lauric acid consists of 12 carbon atoms, which are bonded saturated (no double bonds) by hydrogen atoms. This makes it not easily rancid and can last up to 2 years. With 12 carbon atoms, lauric acid is called medium chain fatty acid (MCFA). Whereas other fats or fatty acids in general such as palm cooking oil, peanut oil and so on are long chain fatty acids (LCFA) and their chemical bonds are not saturated (double bonds). Lauric acid will be converted to monolaurin or a monoglyceride compound obtained by babies from breast milk which has antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoa properties. Medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) can be absorbed directly through the intestinal wall when they reach the digestive tract, this process is faster because without going through the hydrolysis and enzymatic processes. Then directly supplied into the bloodstream and immediately carried into the liver to be metabolized. In the liver VCO is processed into energy alone, not LDL cholesterol and not fat deposits, this energy is used to improve the function of all endocrine glands, organs and body tissues. Medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) have a small molecular size, so they are easily digested and can be absorbed directly by the body (absorbed by the intestinal wall) because MCFA easily penetrates mitochondria (an organ in every cell of our body that functions to produce energy for the body), So that the pancreas, digestive tract, and liver can work lighter. The ease of MCFA penetrates the mitochondria, making VCO acts as an instant energy source or quickly produces energy for the body. While LCFA needs hydrolysis and enzymatic processes before being absorbed by the intestinal wall. The form of the product or the result of the LCFA decomposition is energy, cholesterol, and there is residual fat accumulated in body fat tissue. Cholesterol and fat deposits can be the basis for a variety of chronic and degenerative diseases such as hypertension, stroke and diabetes. VCO can also be a drug and halal health supplement, because at present there are very few of us to find halal medicinal or pharmaceutical products.
Coconut water also has many benefits. Nata de coco is a popular product of coconut water processing. Nata de coco as a fiber-rich, low-calorie drink containing vitamin B and C is very well consumed for health. Coconut water can also be as an isotonic drink, which is a substitute for body ions, to restore new stamina and energy to the body. The biggest content is potassium, with the following details, namely 294 mg of potassium, 23 mg of sodium, 5 mg of sugar and 118 mg of chloride. These minerals are needed for our growth, even though the quantity is very little. Lack of minerals results in being a source of health problems. We should be able to get sufficient supply of these minerals through our food or drink. For example, lack of potassium (K) will cause digestive problems and Copper (Cu) causes the production and work of the enzyme to be disturbed. All health problems can arise because of this. Copper deficiency disrupts energy production, neurotransmission, increases cardiovascular risk and neurodegenerative diseases. To fulfill complete minerals, coconut water can be added to other minerals.

Biomass from coconut, among others, coir, shell, fronds, leaves and trunks. All biomass waste can be processed to be converted into energy. From coconut fiber can be processed directly into pellets and briquettes. But it could also be to give more added value, fibers are separated from the coir into cocofiber, while the waste is cocopeat or cocodust can be made pellets or briquettes. cocopeat or cocodust can also be compressed into a kind of briquette, or famous for cocopeat block. The use of cocopeat block, especially for planting media, can be read in more detail here. Coconut trunks are quite expensive and are widely used in various building woods, so the use of pellets or briquettes is not suitable. While sawn waste or coconut stem processing waste is suitable for pellets or briquettes, because the price is cheap as waste wood in general. Coconut shells are now almost all processed into charcoal. Charcoal from the coconut shell can be directly used as fuel, raw material for briquettes and activated carbon .

If the coconut is fully processed or integrated then all the benefits of coconut can be optimized, or at least a number of biomass can be converted as an attractive energy source. Various scenarios of integrated coconut utilization technology can be considered, so that optimal scenarios can be found. Central coconut areas such as Indragiri Hilir in Riau, Padang, Bengkulu, Lampung and so on must start looking for the potential of this coconut business. Besides the Philippines, India is also quite advanced in the coconut industry even though its biomass has not been focused on the energy sector. It is precisely this opportunity to steal the start to make coconut waste more efficient for the energy sector. When the energy sector is strong, the sovereignty of the state is also getting stronger.

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Bioeconomy Model for Indonesia Part 2

In addition to using leguminoceae trees such as calliandra in the form of energy plantation, as described in more detail in the bioeconomy model for Indonesia part 1, bamboo trees can also be used as pioneering plants and impact the development of various bioeconomy derivative activities. Why can bamboo trees be used in this case? Bamboo trees belonging to the group of grasses (gramineae) can grow in almost all places in Indonesia and are resistant to dry conditions, this is also because bamboo plants are plant species with C4 photosynthesis. Ground water will also rise up to the surface by bamboo plants, so that areas that were originally dry can become fertile and water is easily available.

The damage to the environment generally starts from the destruction of the soil which has become dry and barren. This condition causes the land to be untapped and further worsens the damage so desertification can occur. Damage to the soil can be caused by the use of chemical fertilizers, lack of or not available water sources and unsustainable land management. Bamboo trees that are also easy to grow can be used to improve these conditions. For this reason, bamboo plantations need to be made to rehabilitate land and also benefit economically. It only takes about 3 years for bamboo trees to be harvested and can then be harvested continuously for more than 30 years.

Bamboo can be used for biomaterials, but of course the most economical use is sought. Bamboo can be used for the production of various types of products such as building materials, paper raw materials, energy sources, activated carbon, to high-quality textiles and for more detail can be read here. The number of products that can be produced from bamboo will certainly be its own driving force. Currently there are still a number of imported products, even though they should be produced domestically. Textile raw materials such as cotton and wool are examples of raw materials that are still imported in very large quantities, and this can also be substituted with raw materials from bamboo, even better quality.
With bamboo plantations that improve environmental conditions and economic aspects, further development can continue to be carried out later, such as the creation of fruit gardens and livestock, especially sheep. The fertile soil and water are easily available making various fruit trees grow well, so can the making of pastures with green grass. Rotation grazing techniques as the best grazing technique today can be applied in the pasture. The economic sector based on this has become more passionate and a real example of bioeconomy.
Starting from bamboo, the nation's economic sector and people can become strong. Strategic sectors such as food, clothing, shelter, and energy can be fulfilled and are not import dependent. There are tens of millions of hectares of land available in Indonesia, and can be used for these bamboo plantations. Indonesia's condition with a tropical climate with high rainfall also strongly supports bamboo plantations in Indonesia. Let us improve and save the environment as well as to lead in the bioeconomy era with bamboo plantations, its processing industry and its development.

Coal Companies and New Business Development in Renewable Energy (Wood Pellets and PKS)

Coal is a fossil fuel which is one of the main causes of greenhouse gases, especially CO2, which causes global warming and climate change. E...